Yesterday we met with friends and family at one of the few Christmas markets which continue to operate in Germany after the big day itself, in front of the Charlottenburg Palace.
Charlottenburg is an incredibly grand affair, the largest palace in Berlin and as impressive as any of the royal residences that grace central London. It was built and extended during the 17th and 18th centuries to accommodate the monarchs of Prussia, last seeing use as a royal palace in 1888. It’s most recent official function however, has been as the official residence of the German President from 2004 to 2006 while the main residence, the more modest Schloss Bellevue, was being renovated.
Of course these days it serves as one of Berlin’s major tourist attractions, and many parts of the palace can be visited, as well as the Orangerie and the curious tea house set in the palace’s extensive grounds, ‘Belvedere’. This rather odd building now serves as the city’s porcelain museum. We had a look around the exhibition yesterday and it is very impressive, featuring examples of the most opulent and ornate German china spread across several hundred years of manufacture.
Due to the bitter weather and extensive snow cover you’ll have to take my word for how impressive the palace’s extensive grounds are – even the large ornamental lake at the centre of the gardens was entirely frozen over on our visit (by the way although you have to pay to enter the buildings the grounds are free to enter) but I hope the photos I took yesterday manage to convey a little bit of it’s magic. The palace and grounds are well worth a visit if you happen to find yourself in Berlin!
From Charlottenburg December 2010 |